Analytics based scoping of html5 web storage attributes

ABSTRACT

A method, system, and computer program product for optimizing storage of Web storage attributes through analytics is provided. The method includes identifying and storing in memory of a computer, utilization of different Web storage attributes by different end users across different Web application sessions from different Web browsers and analyzing the stored utilization of different Web storage attributes to identify a past scope of utilization for each of the different Web storage attributes. The method further includes, responsive to receiving a request from a requestor for an optimal storage location of a particular Web storage attribute, determining an identified past scope of utilization for the particular Web storage attribute, mapping the determined identified past scope of utilization for the particular Web storage attribute to the optimal storage location, and returning an indication of the mapped optimal storage location of the particular Web storage attribute to the requestor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to memory management during pageprocessing and more particularly to optimizing memory management of Webstorage attributes during page processing.

2. Description of the Related Art

Page processing refers to the receipt, interpretation and rendering of amarkup language defined page in a content browser. The most well-knownform of a page processing content browser at present is the venerableWeb browser in which Web pages are received, processed and rendered. Ina conventional Web browser, a markup language page—typically a pagedefined according to the hypertext markup language (HTML) markuplanguage specification—can be received, interpreted and rendered in adisplay of a computer. Integral to the HTML processing capabilities ofthe Web browser is the cookie feature.

The cookie feature provides for short term data storage of stateinformation for a Web page. Cookies have been used for many reasonsincluding session management, personalization and tracking. However,according to the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) specification onstatement management, a Web browser in respect to the use of cookiesneed only support a minimal number of cookies. In particular, accordingto the HTTP specification, a Web browser is expected only to be able tostore three-hundred cookies of four kilobytes each, and only twentycookies per server or domain.

While the cookie feature of HTML can provide a tempting mechanism fordata storage in page processing, for many applications—and in particularin light of advances in the acquisition and transfer of digitalinformation such as digital imagery and audio, a client side mechanismof greater capacity is desirable. The HTML version 5 specificationaddresses this need in defining “Web Storage.” Web Storage picks upwhere cookies left off. In this regard, Web Storage provides both asimple application programming interface (API) to getter and settermethods for attributes specified in terms of key/value pairs, and also adefault disk space quota of no less than five megabytes per fullyqualified domain name.

Importantly, Web storage falls exclusively under the purview ofclient-side scripting. In other words, the scoping of Web storageattributes is under the discretion of a developer. Therefore, it is leftto the developer to decide the lifetime of an attribute as well as thescope or location of where different attributes are stored, such aslocally, for a HTTP session, or on a server. A Web storage attributeplaced in local storage is per domain—the Web storage attribute isavailable to all scripts from the domain that originally stored the Webstorage attribute. Therefore, a Web storage attribute placed in localstorage, persists even after the Web browser closes. In contrast,session storage is per-page-per-window and is therefore temporallylimited to the lifetime of the window. Of course, server side storage ofan attribute persists for as long as the attribute remains in the serverside storage and is made accessible to requesting pages.

Because scoping of the Web storage attributes are at the discretion ofthe developer, developers oftentimes misuse the scoping and storage ofWeb storage attributes, which can further reduce the scalability of aWeb application. For example, when a developer stores an object thatcontains a vast amount of information, correct data placement storageproblems can arise. For instance, if state or country lists occur in aform, but a developer stores the entire form into local memory, thememory on a computing device is not utilized most efficiently. Instead,information (state or country data) that is global or will not changebased on a user should be stored on a server (or on a database on theserver or on a database coupled to the server) and should be queriedwhen needed rather than placed in local storage.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art inrespect to memory utilization in page processing and provide a novel andnon-obvious method, system, and computer program product for optimizingstorage of Web storage attributes through analytics. In an embodiment ofthe invention, a method for optimizing storage of Web storage attributesthrough analytics is provided and includes identifying and storing inmemory of a computer, utilization of different Web storage attributes bydifferent end users across different Web application sessions fromdifferent Web browsers. The method can further include analyzing thestored utilization of different Web storage attributes to identify apast scope of utilization for each of the different Web storageattributes and, responsive to receiving a request from a requestor foran optimal storage location of a particular Web storage attribute,determining an identified past scope of utilization for the particularWeb storage attribute, mapping the determined identified past scope ofutilization for the particular Web storage attribute to the optimalstorage location, and returning an indication of the mapped optimalstorage location of the particular Web storage attribute to therequestor.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a data processing systemconfigured for optimizing storage of Web storage attributes throughanalytics. The system can include a server configured for communicativecoupling to a client computing device. The server can also be coupled toa database and configured to execute an analytics module. The analyticsmodule can include program code for identifying and storing in memory ofthe server, utilization of different Web storage attributes by differentend users across different Web application sessions from different Webbrowsers. The analytics module can further include program code foranalyzing the stored utilization of different Web storage attributes toidentify a past scope of utilization for each of the different Webstorage attributes. The analytics module can further include programcode for determining an identified past scope of utilization for theparticular Web storage attribute responsive to receiving a request froma requestor for an optimal storage location of a particular Web storageattribute, for mapping the determined identified past scope ofutilization for the particular Web storage attribute to the optimalstorage location, and for returning an indication of the mapped optimalstorage location of the particular Web storage attribute to therequestor.

Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in thedescription which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspectsof the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elementsand combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It isto be understood that both the foregoing general description and thefollowing detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only andare not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute partof this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention. The embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred;it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to theprecise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a process for optimizing storageof Web storage attributes through analytics;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a data processing systemconfigured for optimizing storage of Web storage attributes throughanalytics; and,

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a process for optimizing storage ofWeb storage attributes through analytics.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention provide for optimizing storage of Webstorage attributes through analytics. In accordance with an embodimentof the invention, utilization of different Web storage attributes bydifferent end users across different Web application sessions fromdifferent Web browsers can be identified and stored. The storedutilization can be analyzed to identify a past scope of utilization foreach of the Web storage attributes. Thereafter, in response to receivinga request from a requestor for an optimal storage location of aparticular Web storage attribute, an identified past scope ofutilization for the particular Web storage attribute can be determinedand mapped to an optimal storage location, such as session storage,local storage or server storage. Finally, the optimal storage locationcan be returned to the requestor. In this way, the misuse of assigningstorage locations to Web storage attributes can be minimized byproviding analytics to the developer of an optimal storage location fora particular Web storage attribute.

In further illustration, FIG. 1 pictorially shows a process optimizingstorage of Web storage attributes through analytics. As shown in FIG. 1,utilization of different Web storage attributes 130 from at one leastone client computing device 155 can be identified by analytic logic 190on a computer 195, such as a server, for each create, read, update, anddelete call from a web application to memory an end user, such as adeveloper, does on the client computing device 155. The utilization ofdifferent Web storage attributes by different end users across differentWeb application sessions from different Web browsers can also beidentified by analytic logic 190. In other words, different Web storageattributes across different Web application sessions from different Webbrowsers from one client computing device 155 can be identified ordifferent Web storage attributes across different Web applicationsessions from different Web browsers from multiple client computingdevices 155 can be identified.

Regardless, the utilization of different Web storage attributes 130 canbe stored by analytic logic 190 in memory on a computer 195, on adatabase 165 coupled to a computer 195, or on a database 165 on acomputer 195. In addition, the utilization of different Web storageattributes 130 can include, but is not limited to, multiple, differentkeys, values, users, session identification (session ID), and totalnumber of times a specific key and its corresponding value are assessed.Further, the stored utilization of different Web storage attributes 145can be analyzed by analytic logic 190 to identify a past scope ofutilization for each of the different Web storage attributes 148.

In response to a request 105 from a requestor from a client computingdevice 155 for an optimal storage location of a particular Web storageattribute, analytic logic 190 on a computer 195 can determine anidentified past scope of utilization for the particular Web storageattribute 152. Of note, a particular Web storage attribute can be one ofthe different Web storage attributes or a particular Web storageattribute can be unrelated to the different Web storage attribute. Inother words, a requestor may request an optimal storage location of aparticular Web storage attribute that is not associated with one of thestored utilization of different Web storage attributes. In such a case,analytic logic 190 can produce an error that can be returned to theclient computing device 155 which made the request 105.

Thereafter, analytic logic 190 can map the determined identified pastscope of utilization for the particular Web storage attribute 156 to theoptimal storage location. Upon mapping the determined identified pastscope of utilization for the particular Web storage attribute to theoptimal storage location, analytic logic 190 can return an indication185 of the mapped optimal storage location of the particular Web storageattribute to the requestor. The indication of the mapped optimal storagelocation of a particular Web storage attribute can include, but it isnot limited to, session persistent (session storage), local storage, andserver (storage). Optionally, analytic logic 190 can display theindication of the mapped optimal storage location of the particular Webstorage attribute in an application program interface 170.

The process described in connection with FIG. 1 can be implemented in adata processing system configured to optimize storage of Web storageattributes through analytics. In further illustration, FIG. 2 shows adata processing system configured to optimize storage of Web storageattributes through analytics. The system can include multiple, differentclient computing devices 255 coupled to a server 200 via acommunications network 240. Each client computing device 255 can includeat least one processor 210B and memory 205B supporting the execution ofan operating system 215B. In addition, the operating system 215B of eachclient computing device 255 can support the execution of different Webapplication sessions 246 from different Web browsers 236. The server 200can also include at least one processor 210 and memory 205 supportingthe execution of an operating system 215. In addition, the server 200can be coupled to a database 265. Yet further, the server 200 can beconfigured to execute an analytic module 300.

The analytic module 300 can include program code, which, when executedby at least one processor 210 on the server 200, can identifyutilization of multiple, different Web storage attributes when certaincalls, such as create, read, update, and delete, are made from differentWeb application session 246 (or just Web application) from different Webbrowsers to memory 205B by different end users on different clientcomputing devices 255. Of note, the program code of the analytic module300 can also identify utilization of different Web storage attributesacross different Web application sessions 246 from different Webbrowsers 236 on just one client computing device 255. The program codeof the analytic module 300 can further be enabled to store theidentified utilization of different Web storage attributes by differentend user across different Web application sessions 246 from differentWeb browsers 236. The utilization of different Web storage attributescan be stored in memory of the server 200 or stored in a database 265.Further, program code of the analytic module 300 can analyzed the storedutilization of different Web storage attributes to identify a past scopeof utilization for each of the different Web storage attributes.

Responsive to receiving a request from a requestor for an optimalstorage location of a particular Web storage attribute, the program codeof the analytic module 300 can determine an identified past scope ofutilization for the particular Web storage device, can map thedetermined identified past scope of utilization for the particular Webstorage attribute to the optimal storage location, and returning anindication of the mapped optimal storage location of the particular Webstorage attribute to the requestor. In addition, program code of theanalytic module 300 can display the indication of the mapped optimalstorage location in an API on the client computing device 255 from whichthe request from the requestor for the optimal storage location of theparticular Web storage attribute was received. Further, the indicationof the mapped optimal storage location of the particular Web storageattribute can include, but is not limited to, session storage, localstorage, and server storage.

In even yet further illustration of the operation of the program code ofthe analytic module 300, FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a processfor optimizing storage of Web storage attributes through analytics.Beginning in block 310, utilization of different Web storage attributesby different end users across different Web application sessions fromdifferent Web browsers can be identified. Specifically, utilization canbe identified from multiple, different end users on multiple, differentcomputers for each create, read, update, and delete call from a webapplication to memory. The identified utilization of different Webstorage attributes can be stored in memory of a computer, such as onserver, as indicated in block 320. In addition, the identifiedutilization of different Web storage attributes can also be stored on adatabase on the server or on a database coupled to a server. As shown inblock 325, a past scope of utilization for each of the different Webstorage attributes can be identified by analyzing the stored utilizationof different Web storage attributes.

Thereafter, a request for an optimal storage location for a particularWeb storage attribute can be received from a requestor, as illustratedin block 330. Responsive to receiving the request from the requestor foran optimal storage location of a particular Web storage attribute, adetermination can be made as to whether a utilization exists for aparticular Web storage attribute, as shown in block 340. As shown inblock 380, if a utilization does not exist for the particular Webstorage attribute for which a request for an optimal storage locationwas received, an error can be generated that can be sent to therequestor. In other words, the particular Web storage attribute has yetto be utilized either by different end users or by the end user makingthe request, and, thus, is not one of the different Web storageattributes.

However, if the utilization does exist for the particular Web storageattribute for which a request for an optimal storage location wasreceived, an identified past scope of utilization for the particular Webstorage attribute can be determined, as in block 350. In other words,the particular Web storage attribute for which a request for an optimalstorage location has been made has previously been utilized by eitherdifferent end users or by the end user-requestor and, thus, is one ofthe different Web storage attributes. Further, as illustrated in block355, the determined identified past scope of utilization for theparticular Web storage attribute can be mapped to the optimal storagelocation. Thereafter, an indication of the mapped optimal storagelocation of the particular Web storage attribute can be returned to therequestor, as shown in block 360. Finally, the indication of the mappedoptimal storage location can be displayed to the requestor, for example,in an API on the computer from which the request for the optimal storagelocation of the particular Web storage attribute from the requestor wasreceived, as illustrated in block 370. Of note, the indication is notlimited to being displayed in an API, but can also be displayed on acomputer of the requestor and not in an API. Of further note, theindication of the mapped optimal storage location of the particular Webstorage attribute can be include session storage, local storage, orserver storage.

In further illustration of an embodiment of the invention for optimizingstorage of Web storage attributes through analytics, utilization ofdifferent Web storage attributes can be stored on a server and utilizedby the analytics module when a request is made.

Key Value User Session_ID Access_Times Foo Bar Todd xyz123 1 Foo BarTodd mno456 2 Foo Ga Joshua kjl123 4 Foo Ga Joshua abc456 1 Buggy WhipTodd xyz123 8 Buggy Slip Todd mno456 3Based on the table above, if a user “Stephen” wanted to know therecommended scope (optimal storage location) for the key “foo,” programcode of the analytics module would have determined that since multipleusers accessed the same key value over multiple sessions, it would bemore efficient to store the data on local storage, where it could staypersistent across sessions. On the other hand, if a scoping (optimalstorage location) request was made for the key “buggy,” the program codeof the analytics module would have determined that efficiency isestablished when the key “buggy” is stored on the http session, sincethe values do not persist across sessions. Of note, the utilization inthe table above is for illustration purposes only, as the data in thetable is arbitrary.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentinvention may be embodied as a system, method or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the formof an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.”Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of acomputer program product embodied in one or more computer readablemedium(s) having computer readable program code embodied therein.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may beutilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signalmedium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system,apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Morespecific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readablestorage mediums would include the following: an electrical connectionhaving one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storagedevice, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storagemedium may be any tangible medium that can contain or store a programfor use by, or in connection with, an instruction execution system,apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied in a computer readable medium may be transmittedusing any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless,wireline, optical fiber cable, radiofrequency, and the like, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing. Computer program code forcarrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may bewritten in any combination of one or more programming languages,including an object oriented programming language and conventionalprocedural programming languages. The program code may execute entirelyon the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer, or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

Aspects of the present invention have been described above withreference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods,apparatus (systems) and computer program products according toembodiments of the invention. In this regard, the flowchart and blockdiagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, andoperation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computerprogram products according to various embodiments of the presentinvention. For instance, each block in the flowchart or block diagramsmay represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises oneor more executable instructions for implementing the specified logicalfunction(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block might occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware andcomputer instructions.

It also will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable data processingapparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions also may be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. The computer program instructions also may beloaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, orother devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed onthe computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce acomputer implemented process such that the instructions which execute onthe computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

Finally, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describingparticular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of theinvention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification,specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations,elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence oraddition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations,elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention invarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

Having thus described the invention of the present application in detailand by reference to embodiments thereof, it will be apparent thatmodifications and variations are possible without departing from thescope of the invention defined in the appended claims as follows:

1-6. (canceled)
 7. A data processing system configured for optimizingstorage of Web storage attributes through analytics, comprising: aclient computing device; a server configured for communicative couplingto the client computing device; and, an analytic module coupled to theserver, the analytic module comprising program code enabled whenexecuting in the server to identify and store in memory of the server,utilization of different Web storage attributes by different end usersacross different Web application sessions from different Web browsers,to analyze the stored utilization of different Web storage attributes toidentify a past scope of utilization for each of the different Webstorage attributes, and responsive to receiving a request from arequestor for an optimal storage location of a particular Web storageattribute, to determine an identified past scope of utilization for theparticular Web storage attribute, to map the determined identified pastscope of utilization for the particular Web storage attribute to theoptimal storage location, and to return an indication of the mappedoptimal storage location of the particular Web storage attribute to therequestor.
 8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a databasecoupled to the server configured to store the utilization of differentWeb storage attributes by different end users across different Webapplication sessions from different Web browsers.
 9. The system of claim7, wherein the particular Web storage attribute is one of the differentWeb storage attributes.
 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the programcode of the analytics module is further enabled to display theindication of the mapped optimal storage location in an applicationprogram interface (API) on the client computing device from which therequest from the requestor for the optimal storage location of theparticular Web storage attribute was received.
 11. The system of claim7, wherein the indication of the mapped optimal storage location of theparticular Web storage attribute is session storage.
 12. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the indication of the mapped optimal storage locationof the particular Web storage attribute is local storage.
 13. The systemof claim 7, wherein the indication of the mapped optimal storagelocation of the particular Web storage attribute is server storage. 14.A computer program product for optimizing storage of Web storageattributes through analytics, the computer program product comprising: acomputer readable storage medium having computer readable program codeembodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:computer readable program code for identifying and storing in memory ofa computer, utilization of different Web storage attributes by differentend users across different Web application sessions from different Webbrowsers; computer readable program code for analyzing the storedutilization of different Web storage attributes to identify a past scopeof utilization for each of the different Web storage attributes; and,computer readable program code for determining an identified past scopeof utilization for a particular Web storage attribute in response toreceiving a request from a requestor for an optimal storage location ofthe particular Web storage attribute, mapping the determined identifiedpast scope of utilization for the particular Web storage attribute tothe optimal storage location, and returning an indication of the mappedoptimal storage location of the particular Web storage attribute to therequestor.
 15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein theparticular Web storage attribute is one of the different Web storageattributes.
 16. The computer program product of claim 14, furthercomprises computer readable program code for displaying the indicationof the mapped optimal storage location in an application programinterface (API) on the computer from which the request from therequestor for the optimal storage location of the particular Web storageattribute was received.
 17. The computer program product of claim 14,wherein the indication of the mapped optimal storage location of theparticular Web storage attribute is session storage.
 18. The computerprogram product of claim 14, wherein the indication of the mappedoptimal storage location of the particular Web storage attribute islocal storage.
 19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein theindication of the mapped optimal storage location of the particular Webstorage attribute is server storage.